David Miliband, the former Foreign Secretary, has resigned as the
vice-chairman of Sunderland Football Club over the political views of its
newly appointed manager.

Mr Miliband said that he could not stay at the Barclays Premier League club
because of the “past political statements” of Paolo Di Canio.

Di Canio, who replaced Martin O’Neill who
was sacked on Saturday, has previously espoused fascism and has admitted
he is an admirer of Benito Mussolini. After being fined €7,000 euros for
giving a raised arm fascist salute to Lazio fans during a game in Italy in
2005, Di Canio told an Italian